Average Annual Morphine Milligram Equivalents (MMEs) of Outpatient Prescription Opioids and Share of Total MMEs among Elderly and Non-Elderly Adults in 2015-2016

Product type:

Research Findings 45

MEPS component:

Household Component

Publication date:

November 26, 2019

Description:

Examining patterns of use of outpatient prescribed opioids can contribute to efforts to make appropriate use of these drugs in the treatment of acute and chronic pain. This Research Findings report presents estimates from the 2015 and 2016 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC) of average annual morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) of outpatient prescription opioids acquired by adults in the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. MMEs provide a useful measure of opioid use across individuals in a single, standardized measure of the potency of each prescription fill. The report presents estimates for all non-elderly adults and all elderly adults, and for subgroups of each population. It presents an estimate of average annual MMEs for each subgroup, and estimates of each subgroup's share of the population compared to their share of total MMEs.